Gov. Cuomo Sexually Harassed Multiple Women, AG Probe Finds

NEW YORK, NY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women and his administration fostered a toxic workplace that enabled the harassment to occur, a much-anticipated investigation by Attorney General Letitia James' office has found.

Independent investigators appointed by James concluded that the governor harassed 11 women — including former and current employees — by groping, kissing, hugging and making inappropriate comments, according to the 165-page report unveiled Tuesday.

The findings come after a five-month investigation spurred by multiple allegations against the governor that surfaced earlier this year.

"One by one, one courageous woman after another stepped forward — they stepped forward to say, 'Enough is enough,'" said Joon H. Kim, one of the two investigators leading the probe. "...These brave women stepped forward to speak truth to power and, in doing so, they expressed faith in the belief that although the governor may be powerful, the truth is more so."

The investigation found that Cuomo's actions were part of a pattern of harassment that violated both state and federal law and the policies of his own Executive Chamber.

The harassment extended beyond his own employees and included a State Trooper who was assigned to his security detail and a doctor who performed a COVID-19 test during one of Cuomo's press conference, according to the report.

The incidents include the governor taunting an assault survivor with sexual innuendo, grabbing multiple women's butts, reaching under an assistant's shirt to grab her breast and repeatedly asking women about their relationships and sex lives, according to the report.

In one instance, Cuomo told an executive assistant, who is married: "If you were single, the things I would do to you.”

Read Patch's Breakdown of the Report Here: Read It: Cuomo Sexual Harassment Report Details Accusations

The assistant, who was also groped, told investigators that she had planned to take the incidents "to the grave" due to fear she'd lose her job, but broke down when she saw Cuomo deny allegations during a press conference earlier this year.

"It was a culture where you could not say no to the governor and if you upset him or his senior staff, you would be written off, cast aside or worse," Kim said of the work environment.

Investigators also found that Cuomo and his senior staff retaliated against at least one of the women who came forward with her story by releasing confidential documents about her past, the report found.

Throughout the probe, Kim, lead investigator Anne Clark and their team reviewed 74,000 pieces of evidence — including texts, emails, documents and photos — and interviewed 179 people, including an 11-hour interrogation of Cuomo himself.

Cuomo initially said he welcomed a probe into accusations of his improper behavior against women, but more recently has attacked its independence and fairness.

In the interrogation, investigators said he "admitted certain things but put a different spin on them, or denied they occurred."

On Tuesday, in a pre-taped response, he denied the Attorney General's findings and offered his own report.

“First, I want you to know directly from me that never touched anyone inappropriately or made inappropriate sexual advances,” Cuomo said. “I am 63 years old. I have lived my entire adult life in public view: that is just not who I am.”.

The allegations against the governor have spurred calls for him to resign and an impeachment probe in the state legislature. Many top lawmakers reiterated those calls to step down in the hours after the report was released.

The Attorney General said the report will be shared with state lawmakers, but would not comment on potential fallout for the governor.

There is no criminal penalty specifically tied to the report, though the women can determine if they would like to take civil action against the governor, investigators said. One of the groping incidents in the report is already being investigated by police in Albany, they added.

"The report speaks for itself and right now, I think we should all be focused on the courage and bravery of women who came forward," James said Tuesday. "...We’re going to allow the chips to fall where they may."

Read the full report here: